SAN LUIS -- A Kapampangan overseas Filipino worker (OFW) from San Luis town who is currently in Saudi Arabia is seeking help from the government so he could go home, as he was allegedly "deceived" on the kind of work stipulated in his employment contract.
A video of Gabino Vital Taruc, 30, from Barangay Sta. Monica here, reportedly shot while he was confined at a Saudi hospital and uploaded on June 1, has been circulating in social media for almost a week now.
Taruc, in the video, expressed his desire to come home but cannot, as he is being asked to pay some P100,000 as employer's fee first.
Taruc's sister Angelita told Sun.Star Pampanga on Thursday: "Yung P90,000 kasi pinadala daw yun ng agency dito para makalipad siya papunta dun. Tapos another P9,000 para sa plane ticket niya."
According to his family, Taruc signed a contract to work as a flower arranger in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia but was assigned to feed animals and dig deep holes when he arrived there.
"First time niyang nag-abroad. Nung nag-apply nga siya, hindi ko naman alam. Sinorpresa nya nga ako dahil gusto nyang makatulong," said Taruc's mother Filomena.
"Kung yung pag-aalaga ng hayop, okay lang naman yun. Kaya lang hirap daw siya sa paghuhukay, parang nagmamason sila dun. Hindi naman siya sanay sa ganung trabaho," she added.
Taruc is now confined in a hospital in Az Zulfi, Riyadh due to swollen arms and back, according to his statement in the video. However, his family said he was diagnosed with a heart problem and was advised to undergo an operation there.
"Nagulat nga kami kasi bago siya umalis, nagpamedical [check-up] naman siya pero wala naman lumabas. Bakit doon meron? Kaya sabi ko, 'wag siyang magpa-opera dun, pilitin niya na makauwi dito," Filomena said.
The OFW's mother added that Taruc, in his almost two months stay there, has not been compensated yet as his co-workers are allegedly getting his salary to buy him food.
"Yung katrabaho niya [na] Indian di niya kasundo, parati daw siyang inaaway. Tapos meron pa na Filipino, yun yung gumigipit sa kanya. Ina-advance yung sweldo niya para daw pambili ng pagkain pero ang abot sa kanya, pagkain na talaga. Walang pera," Filomena shared.
"May mga tumutulong lang sa kanya ngayon na mga nurse, 'yun yung nagpapahiram sa kanya ng cellphone tsaka nagbibigay ng pagkain," they said, adding they cannot contact Gabino's phone as he forgot it in their barracks.
"Pagkadating niya dun, okay naman. Araw-araw siyang tumatawag. Tapos bigla apat na araw, di na siya tumatawag. Nag-alala na ko nun. Nasa ospital na pala siya", the older Taruc said.
Filomena also disclosed that officials of Taruc's agency, M.M.I., reportedly told the family that they are not requiring him to pay the employer's fee anymore and promised to buy him his plane ticket.
"Sabi nung agent na tumutulong sa kanya, ipa-process na daw yung release papers niya tsaka yung ticket niya pauwi, sila na daw sasagot", his mother said.
The family is now asking for help to send Taruc home safely.
"Kahit wala ng tulong-pinansiyal, basta makauwi lang siya dito. Nangarap lang naman ang anak ko e," Filomena said.
For his part, Mayor Venancio Macapagal said the local government of San Luis is willing to help their kabalen in any way they can.
"Kami naman, kung ano maitutulong namin, walang problema doon. Kahit kami na ang sumagot sa plane ticket. Pero sigurado kailangan niya ng abogado niyan. Mas maganda kung lumapit siya sa embassy," said Macapagal.